What Has To Be Done
by anon97
Summary: Instead of choosing Damon for the series four finale, she chooses Stefan. Silas is gone, the veil is back up, everyone seems safe... but are they?
1. Chapter 1

It's painful to watch Damon packing his things away. Knowing that he has to leave because of her. Soon his room is clear of any sign of Damon Salvatore, and it seems odd that so recently she was in here _with _Damon. She wishes he didn't have to go, even though she knows it has to be this way. At least for now, he needs some time apart. However that knowledge doesn't make it any easier to watch him leave. Before he climbs into his car, he embraces her in his strong arms. Engulfing her in his body, for a second she thinks of what could have been. But that second fades and he is behind the wheel, as she holds back sobs that are welling right behind her eyes. With a sly smile he turns to her and says

"See you later."

Back into the house she walks, as tears leak from her eyes. She loves Damon, and even though she only loves him as a friend, the love is real and it hurts to see him go.

She crawls into Stefan's bed, feeling guilty but knowing that she made the right choice. Only, that knowledge isn't so comforting, and the sadness remains like lead in her stomach. As she slides under the covers, something falls from her pocket and rolls onto the floor. She reaches down to pick up the mysterious object, and as she clasps it in her hands the realization hits her. It is the cure. Damon slid the cure into her pocket when he hugged her.

Now she's holding Stefan's hand in hers, his ice cold skin still sends shocks through her like when they first met. The curve of his face, chiseled in more ways than one. Beauty unable to be compared, and she wanted him to be hers. If only he wanted the same. But he does care for her. More than anything, and she knows that. As she presses the cure into the palm of his hand, she knows he deserves it more than anyone. After all, Stefan was never much good at being a vampire. For him it's all or nothing, and it's hard to handle either one. But he refuses and returns it back; he did everything for her, why would he take it now? With that, he walks away. Stefan doesn't give her a chance to protest, and in a flash he's gone.

Choosing Stefan and giving up Damon wasn't easy. But it had to be done. That seemed to be the theme of the year, doing what has to be done. But now they were all safe for the time being, and it was time to do what she wanted. So Elena let Stefan walk away for now, but this time she would go after what she wanted.

With Elena's time with Jeremy dwindling, she heads off to find him. Only, he's nowhere to be found. And as the sun sets, and the moon rises from beneath the clouds, worry sets in quickly. The school seems as good a place as any but before more than two steps inside the school, she's been grabbed. Kol is staring her down with his two black darting eyes filled with revenge for his death. Not even allowed a breath for a word, Kol's hand is on her throat, pushing against her windpipe and crushing the bones. His hand lets go and she drops to the ground with a thud. Then, as his razor sharp teeth emerge from behind his gums, and Elena closes her eyes so she doesn't have to witness her own bloody demise, he disappears. Right into thin air, he's gone. Too relieved to question it, she stands up only to find herself looking into two similar black darting eyes. Only this time, they belong to Katherine.

Katherine jumps her like a pouncing cat, slamming her into walls, and spraying her with shards of glass. Elena doesn't stand a chance, and she remains weak and defenseless against Katherine's terror. Katherine only lets up a moment for Elena to choke out the word why, before slamming her again.

"Bonnie was supposed to make me immortal. _Silas_ immortal. But she didn't, so now you pay the price."

"Vampire immortal isn't good enough for you?"

And with that, Katherine grabs a wooden broom from the janitor's closet and breaks it in half forming a sharp point. Before Elena has a chance to react, Katherine is on her. Her arms flailing all around, searching for a hold on Katherine to try and salvage her life, Elena finds her way to her pocket containing the cure.

The cure is jammed into Katherine's unforgiving mouth, and her confusion gives the blood just enough time to seep into her throat, and she passes out. Although she lies cold on the ground now, soon she will awake to a human self. How ironic that in her quest for immortality she became the opposite. Elena rests beside her, satisfied with a job well done. Even though her former rage that appeared after she turned back on her emotions is gone, Elena doesn't like Katherine by any stretch of the imagination. What she said was true; Katherine did cause all of this to happen. And now she was paying the price in full.

Elena looks around at the places on her body that were just recently seeping with blood; they are all now healed completely. Barely a scratch remains, and her tattered clothes are the only evidence of the battle that just occurred. The click clack of her high heels resonate around the empty hallways of her old high school as she walks away from Katherine, and even though she knows she will never be human, she feels oddly at peace with the fact. Once again, doing what has to be done. And despite her longing for a human existence, she understands why it has to be this way. Almost like an old man feels after he has said his last goodbyes, and is ready to leave the world for good.

And then it hits her, like a ton of bricks crashing down; she processes what was happening tonight. Kol. He was there, and then he was not. Bonnie must have brought back up the veil, but how about Jeremy. It can't be. Tears start welling up in her eyes, but she can't, not yet. She promised Jeremy a tear-free time, and while clinging on to the hope that he actually might still be alive, she holds back the tears with a painfully hard swallow. With vamp speed she gets into her car and drives to the Salvatore house, hoping that he might have gone to find her there, all while ignoring the fact that when she gets there, only one Salvatore is left.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you everyone for the comments, I really appreciate it! Keep them coming and tell me what you think. **

Katherine wakes up on the cold, hard floor. Immediately curious as to why the floor feels so cold? Vampires don't feel cold. And she's a vampire... right? Something feels off about herself, her body and brain are functioning oddly. Then the occurrences of last night are dawning on her. Attacking Elena, the battle, and then... something was shoved into her mouth. But what? She tries standing up only to find something odd about her wounds, they are still there. Aching with pain she struggles to move her sore muscles as she gets to her feet. And then she realizes whats missing. The blood lust. Her constant thirst for blood that has been present since she turned centuries ago. Complete shock overwhelms her face as she looks around her body and comes to the realization that for the first time in over five-hundred years, she is human.

Walking and talking, living and breathing. Fully alive once again and yet, weak. Utterly and bitterly weaker than all those who seek to destroy her. Katherine has no choice to leave Mystic Falls in order to ensure her own survival. But where to go? In so many years, she's managed to burn a lot of bridges. Who would turn her into a vampire. Surely no one who knows of her.

Except maybe one. The man that she hurt so badly, so recently, could be her only hope of returning to a vampire. Maybe Elijah would change her.

And with that thought, she moves her sore and aching body through the halls of the high school where she almost killed Elena for good. She is off to New Orleans to seek out Elijah. Only New Orleans is crawling with vampires, and as such is a dangerous place for a human. She can only hope that Elijah will protect her, and then change her once she gets there.

Elena arrives at the Salvatore house and rips the door open with ferocity. She dashes into the living room where Stefan and Jeremy are in intense conversation and runs to him. There she embraces Jeremy for a long time, as tears of joy and relief streak down her face.

"You're here, I can't believe it. But how? Is the veil still down?" Elena stammers out from behind her wall of tears.

"I can assure you the veil is up, but yes I am here. And for good."

With that, Elena hugs him again. And just as Stefan is preparing to leave them alone, Elena jumps up and embraces him too. She places her head in the window between his shoulder and neck, and wipes her tears off on his shirt.

"I don't understand how this is possible, I need to call Bonnie!"

"No, don't" Jeremy replies quickly, and Elena is alarmed by his haste.

"What, why? Don't worry it will just take a sec"

"No - wait stop." He says as he grabs the phone from her hands.

"Let me - "

"JUST DONT! okay!"

He storms out of the room before Elena can get another word in. "What was that all about?" Asks Elena with total confusion of what just occurred. She was happy, and excited to tell them about what she did to Katherine, and now questions about Bonnie are swimming in her head.

"He's just tired." Stefan replies soothingly as he reaches for her hand.

"That's not tired. That's angry and suspicious."

"A lot has happened lately, why don't we just let it go. I'm sure he'll tell you soon enough."

"I'm sorry but I'm not going to sit around here and wait for him to tell me what's happening with my best friend. I'll be at her house." Elena sharply replies as she grabs her keys and walks toward the door. Only before she can make it through the door, Stefan is in front of her blocking the way.

"Okay, what the hell is going on here."

Stefan looks around, as if the answer will appear in front of him, only nothing does. Only bookshelves full of books without the answers stare back at him. Mocking him as if to say "you're over a hundred years old, you've traveled the world, read all the great literature, and now you have no idea how to handle this situation."

"Let's go for a drive."

Despite her hesitancy she follows. He's always trusted her, now it's her turn to do the same. Stefan walks around to the passenger side to hold the door open before getting into the driver's seat and starting the ignition. It's not too far of a ride until they arrive at an old barn.

"I'm sorry you have to see this. But you have a right to know." Stefan says to a stunned Elena as they walk through the double barn doors.

There on the ground lies Bonnie's lifeless body. Elena falls to her knees, sobbing and choking on her tears. She lets out a wail of pain, and Stefan tries to help her but their is no salvation from a pain like that. It's like Jeremy's died all over again and she can't handle it. Only this time she will have too. The switch is not an option. She sits there and clings to Bonnie's body, holding her hand and praying that it isn't true. And as Elena sobs, Bonnie looks on from the other side. She watches Elena cry over the death of her best friend, and Stefan not knowing what to do but watch. Bonnie see's as Stefan finally pulls her away, and drags her into the car. It is a silent car ride, except for the painful sobs of Elena as she stares out of the window at nothing.

But then after miles of emptiness, Elena asks "How'd it happen?" She can barely get the words out, and chokes on every syllable.

"She was trying to bring Jeremy back to life. It worked, but it costed her life." With that, Elena becomes silent again.

When they arrive at the house, Elena can't get out of the car so Stefan carries her. He flashes up to the bedroom where he places her gently under the covers. He climbs into the bed next to her, and wraps his body around hers. Elena is too distraught to function, but still she pulls him closer to her. And soon, they are wrapped around each other, Elena is sleeping soundly and all Stefan can do is stroke her hair and hope this doesn't ruin her forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Elena wakes up in the morning and once again the pain washes over her. The horror of what she saw last night overwhelms her once again, and she is crying. Bonnie's body lying on the ground, lifeless and cold. The memory is debilitating, and for a while all Elena can do is lie there. But this isn't the first time she's lost a loved one, and she knows the drill.

Slowly, Elena crawls out from under the covers and slides her feet onto the ground. Painstakingly she walks to the living room, where she finds Jeremy on the couch sleeping by the fire. He looks so peaceful, as if he's still the same boy who would run around in the backyard with Elena, until Mom would yell for dinner. Only, he's not. He has lived through more tragedy than anyone in ten lifetimes would, and he deserved not a single second of it. With that, Elena grabs a blanket from the shelf, and places it over him. As the blanket falls gently onto his shoulder, he stirs and opens his eyes.

"Good morning Jeremy." Elena says quietly to Jeremy, as he slowly wakes up.

"Hey, sorry about last night, I just - "

"Don't worry about it, I know about Bonnie. I just want to know that you're going to be alright."

"She gave her life for me Elena, I am here and she is dead."

"I know, I know. But we can't change what happened." Elena says as she softly strokes his hair, and tries to comfort him.

"This isn't right. None of this was supposed to happen."

"But it did, and we will have to continue living like we always have."

"You act as if this is normal."

"Well it almost has become that way."

As soon as the words escape Elena's mouth she regrets them. Jeremy gets out from under the newly placed covers and walks out of the room.

The words hurt Jeremy because they are true. They are constantly surrounded by death and destruction; no one is safe from it. And no matter how much they try and protect each other, everyone will always be in danger. But he knows he will protect Elena from danger, even if it kills him.

It's probably a good idea to just let Jeremy go and think. Not that there is anywhere for him to go. When he died, Elena burned down the house. She hoped that would take her pain down with it, but nothing is that simple. Now that he is back alive, he has no home to return too.

But for the first time, there is nothing holding Elena to Mystic Falls. She's graduated. Bonnie is dead. Damon is gone, and their house is burned to the ground. Only Jeremy remains, and there's no doubt he doesn't want to stay and live in the Salvatore house until he graduates. He still has one more year before graduation, but he can be enrolled in any school. Now, it's summer.

The only question is where to go? France, Italy, Spain, the world is at their fingertips. But first, there is a funeral to plan.

Stefan handles calling the Sheriff and alerting her of Bonnie's death. The Sheriff quickly has the death be a "tragic trip and fall accident," and tells Bonnie's father of his daughter's bad fortune.

The funeral is set for the next week, and the whole town is there. Elena, Stefan and Jeremy all sit in the back, and ignore people's stares as they walk by. Elena has been called up to speak, and she briskly walks past all the glaring eyes and onto the stage. When she looks out into the audience, she see's all the people that will mourn for Bonnie. All the people that will be sad. But they will move on soon enough. They may cry, and share words of wisdom, but for the most part their lives will continue as normal. So many of the people sitting there, were the same ones who looked on as she spoke at her parent's funeral. After they died, she walked up to the stage and spoke briefly about how great they were and all the love they shared. She feigned a smile as she told a joke her father used to tell her, and shook hands with strangers after. People would say how proud they were of her bravery, and how much they loved her parents. But words are cheap. And Bonnie deserved more than that. Elena couldn't bare the thought of standing up in front of all these people, and talking about how much she loved Bonnie. It just seemed worthless. Bonnie was dead, that was the truth and it sucked. Elena loved Bonnie like a sister, and life would never be the same again. And with that thought, she walks off the podium and back to her seat. Everyone is stunned at the abrasive action but not a word is spoken. You can feel the tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife. But the priest reacts quickly and resumes the ceremony. Elena begins to think about all those faces in the crowd. How little they had changed since she last saw them congregated there.

But this time, there was one more face. Standing in the back, behind the last row was an African-American woman. She looked about thirty years old, although her eyes told a different age. The woman carried a small feint smile across her face, which made her stand out from those around her.

After the service is over, everyone empty's the church and goes outside. Elena stands outside the church, trying to remain composed and nice while waiting an appropriate time before leaving. Stefan has just left for the bathroom, and Jeremy decides to wait in the car. She watches as hugs are given, and kisses received. Warm wishes are exchanged as people catch up on each other's lives. Only one person doesn't partake in the routine, and it's the same woman that was standing in the church. After a moment, she walks over to Elena.

"Hello Elena, " The woman says with a smile, as she puts out her hand.

"Oh ummm hi." Elena awkwardly responds as she takes the strange woman's hand.

"I'm so sorry about Bonnie, It really is unfortunate that she died. And so young too."

"Yes, yes it is." After a long pause Elena admits " I'm sorry but I don't know who you are."

A large and knowing smile appears on the woman's face. She almost seems entertained by Elena's apparent confusion.

"I am one of Bonnie's ancestors. Her great-great-great-great grandmother if you will."

Completely stunned Elena shakes her head in disbelief. Surely Bonnie didn't know her ancestor was still alive. How could this even be possible? Witches can slow their aging, but not stop it completely. Bonnie was a Bennet, and her oldest known relative Emily had died years ago. This was impossible.

"Perhaps you know me by another name." The woman craftily responds to Elena's bewilderment. "I am Ketsia."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all so much for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

Ketsia? Elena wonders as she stares at the woman in disbelief. The infamous witch that immobilized Silas? It's impossible. And if somehow she were alive, why would she come to Mystic Falls? So many questions, but now was not the time. They were still at the funeral, and people were starting to notice the mysterious woman.

Soon Stefan is starting toward them, and Ketsia quickly tells Elena "I will be at The Grill at eight tonight," before walking off.

"What was that about?" Stefan asks, heavy with concern in his voice. They just got out of the deep end with all the supernatural business, and strangers are not welcome. "I'll tell you about it later." Elena responds as she looks around, trying to understand what just happened. She hopes that some kind of answer will appear, but none does and they continue to the car.

There, Jeremy waits his heads in his hands. When he's sees them, he shoots them a smile, although not a convincing one. Elena climbs into the front next to Stefan, and they head home. The short ride home is accompanied by silence, as they all ponder about the recent events.

Jeremy thinks about life without Bonnie. All the friends he's lost. Anyone he loves disappears soon after, and he even got himself killed. He wants to know when this is all going to end. Because even though they seem safe, he's got the eerie feeling that nothing is done quite yet.

Elena thinks about Ketsia. All the questions she had. How was she alive? What was she doing here? Why now? The only way to answer those questions was to go to the Grill tonight. Despite what Stefan might say, she would walk straight into the mouth of the lion and go meet Ketsia. This leads Elena to think about how lucky she is to have Stefan. He was always there for her no matter what, and she knows he always will be. With that, she grabs his hand and sneaks a kiss on his cheek. He smiles and asks "What was that for?"

Suddenly, she begins to feel significantly more joyful, and becomes overwhelm with joy and love for Stefan. "Because I love you." Elena responds lovingly as they arrive at the house.

"And I love you too." Stefan says as she takes her head in his hands and kisses her. Elena feels his soft but strong hands against her cheek, and their lips that feel like puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together. It's moments like these when nothing else matters. It's as if they live in a perfect world, and for that second, they do.

They are only broken out of the trance when Jeremy gives a half laugh/half sigh and gets out of the car.

"Haha, I think we need to be more careful where we do that." Elena whispers in Stefan's ear with a grin.

"Maybe." He laughs and responds with a warm and gentle kiss before running over to the passenger side and lightheartedly lifting her out of the car. He carries her into the house, and gently lays her down on the bed in his room where she recently moved in. They begin kissing playfully and then ferociously, as she rips off his shirt and he rips off hers. Elena feels his body on top of hers, his heart pulsing with every beat. She runs her hands across his chiseled chest, and feels his sturdy and resilient arms as they caress her back. Soon they're bodies are merged as one, and then they're lying there with their sweating bodies side by side.

"Did I tell you I love you." Stefan says as he rolls over to face Elena. "I think I heard it before." Elena laughs as she kisses him.

But then Elena looks at the time, 7:30. Only a half hour until the meeting with Ketsia. "I love you! But I gotta go!" She screams back at him from halfway across the room. She had already gotten out of the bed with vamp speed before Stefan had a chance to react.

"What's the rush? I guess I should have played hard to get. I mean, I'm a classy gal, you got to at least buy me dinner first." Stefan teases at Elena as she hops in the shower.

But then Stefan remembers the woman at the funeral, and Elena's odd behavior around her. So just as Elena gets out of the shower and finishes getting dressed, Stefan reminds her of it.

"Ummm….. don't worry about it." Elena responds when he brings it up. She doesn't want to worry him. And there's probably no reason to worry anyways… right? Just a meeting with the most powerful witch in the world. It's better to tell him after the meeting is over, and then she'll know if he should be worried.

"Come on, I know when something is going on." Stefan doesn't want to push her, but he _needs_ to know. She can't get hurt; he won't let it happen.

Elena knows he won't let her go until she tells him, and with time dwindling before Ketsia arrives at The Grill, she says "At the funeral, that woman talking to me claimed to be Ketsia. I'm going to meet her at The Grill now. No reason to be concerned yet."

"Are you kidding me? No reason to be concerned? This is Ketsia we're talking about. We just killed the love of her life. And you didn't plan on telling me!?" Stefan is angry, but in truth he feels kind of hurt. She should have told him about her plans. They were in a relationship now, partners in life, and he deserved to know.

"Of course I was going to tell you, just not until the meeting was over. I just didn't want you to worry." Elena can see the hurt in his eyes, she knows he only wants to help, and she's beginning to regret trying to keep this from him.

"I don't think you should go." Stefan says sternly, though knowing full well she won't listen.

"We don't know anything about this person, and the only way to find out will be to going and meeting her." Elena is adamant that she will be going, but there is no way Stefan will let her go alone. "Fine, but I will be coming with you." Just as Stefan knows Elena will go despite him, she also knows that he will be coming along despite her.

With the time nearing eight, Stefan and Elena sit next to each other at a booth by the bar, constantly switching stares between the door and the clock. And then, she walks in. Straight away she approaches them, and sits down across from Stefan and Elena.

"Hello Stefan." She says with a small smile and nod toward him. "And Elena, how nice to see you again."

"Hello." Stefan replies suspiciously. He doesn't remember ever seeing her, and yet she looks questioningly familiar.

"I understand your confusion, and I apologize for that. But so we are clear, I am Ketsia. The original witch." She tells them this plainly and clearly, as if it were everyday news. "But you're dead." Elena regretted the words immediately; it seemed rude. Only this didn't phase Ketsia the least bit, and she calmly replied "I _died_, however, I am not currently dead." With obviously more explanation needed, Ketsia continues

"I was the one who created the other side, and I also created a loophole for witches like myself. You see, Bennet witches are of a special breed. All Bennet witches derive directly from my bloodline, and thus are my family. This should explain why a Bennet witch has been the only solution to so many of your problems. The only way to break the tomb spell: a Bennet witch, the only one who could release the cure from Silas: a Bennet witch, who could drop the veil: only a Bennet witch, and perhaps the most remarkable example, was Bonnie's power to revive Jeremy not once, but twice. Witches cannot bring people back to life, no matter how strong they are, and yet Bonnie could simply because of who she was."

"But now Bonnie's dead, what does this even matter. Why are you here?" Elena interrupts Ketsia. She is upset at the reminder of Bonnie, and how she died. Ketsia has brought back memories of Jeremy's death, as well as the other trials they had been through in the past year.

"Exactly. Bonnie is dead, and with her death she ended the Bennet bloodline. When I created the other side, I knew that my lineage needed to continue indefinitely. But I also knew that my family would forever be in danger of extinction, and thus came the loophole to the other side. Since Bonnie didn't have any children and no more Bennet witches are alive, I have returned."


	5. Chapter 5

"Where have you two been all night?" Jeremy asks Stefan and Elena as they walk through the front door into the living room. It is around 9:00 and Jeremy has been sitting at home all day. He has no friends left in Mystic Falls, and nowhere to go now that school is out. He is also hurt that Bonnie has not reached out to him yet from the other side. He has the ability to speak to ghosts, so why isn't she talking to him? And despite his best efforts, she has not responded.

"We were just hanging out at the Grill." Elena tells Jeremy calmly. It wasn't a lie, just not the complete truth. If Ketsia sticks around, she'll have to tell him, but for now, Bonnie's death is more than enough to occupy his mind.

"Oh, cool." Jeremy lies back down on the couch, and continues to watch his movie. It is an old 90's action movie he found recently in the Salvatore's old movie collection. The characters on the screen attack each other with ferocious speed, and after a witty comment, he is shot in the face by a single bullet from a pistol.

Following Jeremy's reply, Elena leads the way upstairs to Stefan's bedroom, in order for them to continue their conversation about Ketsia in private.

"So she has returned to continue her bloodline, and she claims to not have anything against us for killing her one true love. Or at least immobilizing him." Elena recaps the situation to Stefan, although she knows he understands the situation as well as she.

"Yea, but not everything adds up. If all she wanted to do were come back to earth, to prevent extinction of Bennet witches, why would she come back to Mystic Falls? And after all those years without Silas, there's no hard feelings about immobilizing him again? Even if it's true that she thinks he deserved it, true love dies hard. Trust me I know." With the last part he leans in and kisses her. "That time without you was impossible, I'm just glad we don't have to go through that again." With that, Stefan leans in and kisses her again. This time he lingers on her soft lips, and they enjoy the peaceful moment while they have it.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." Elena whispers against his lips. "But we can't. We've got Ketsia to deal with, and Jeremy. Soon, we'll be away from this place and then we can enjoy the peace."

"We're still leaving? Even with Ketsia back in Mystic Falls?" Stefan is shocked that she is moving past this so easily. This is the most powerful person in the world, and now she's right in front of them.

"There's no reason to stay really. Think about it, Ketsia is more powerful than any of us, and it's not like we're going to glean any information off her unless she wants us to know it."

"I suppose that's true." Stefan concedes to her logic, but he's still not entirely convinced. Something about this whole situation doesn't seem right, and maybe they should stick around for a little while longer. But there's no use in fighting her now.

Just then, they hear Jeremy speaking to someone in hushed tones. Afraid of who it might be, they rush downstairs with vamp speed. But before they reach the living room, Elena pulls Stefan back so that Jeremy can't see them. Secretely, they eavesdrop on Jeremy's conversation with whomever.

"What's going on, who is it?" Stefan whispers to Elena.

"No one.. no one's there. He's talking into the air." Elena whispers back, motioning him to stay silent. After a slight pause, they hear Jeremy's voice again as he speaks out to nobody.

"But why did you wait so long to contact me?" Jeremy is questioning something, and it's obvious that he is hurt as the words leave is mouth. "But why wouldn't Ketsia let you contact me? I have nothing to do with this anymore, and I definitely don't know anything that could be of important to her." With that he reaches out his hand, only after feeling nothing, he returns it to his pocket.

"It must be Bonnie," Stefan tells Elena, only she already knows that.

"We should give him time to be alone." Elena says as she begins to back away from the living room. Tears are already welling up behind her eyes, and the last thing she wants Jeremy to see is her crying, or snooping in his business.

They back away from Jeremy as he says "I'll tell her." And then he lays back on the couch. Under the blanket he ponders the conversation he just had with someone he misses so much. There are still so many questions in his head about their current predicament. Bonnie had said that Ketsia was back on earth, and that she couldn't know Bonnie was talking to him. It doesn't make sense why Ketsia wouldn't want Bonnie talking to him, unless she was hiding something from him. The idea of her hiding something from him was something he didn't want to think about, even though it was painfully aware she would do that if it was to protect him. Bonnie didn't seem too mad about him telling Stefan about her death, and I suspect that she knew he would have to tell someone. Bearing that kind of secret alone, is too much to ask one person to do. Before his thoughts turn dark, he decides to head upstairs and tell Elena what Bonnie had said. Now that they knew she was dead, Bonnie thought it best for them to be aware of Ketsia's intentions, even if she wasn't completely sure of them herself.

"You were talking to Bonnie?" Elena feigns surprise at Jeremy. He seems to buy it, despite his lack of belief at first.

"Yes, and she wants me to tell you how much she misses you." Jeremy tells Elena, and it brings a small smile to her face, thinking about Bonnie still being alive in someway. Even if it's only in a small way. "She also told me how dangerous it was to contact me with Ketsia around. For some reason Ketsia has been blocking her way to me." This is concerning, and Elena gives Stefan a secret glance of concern before turning back to Jeremy and asking "Do you have any idea why she would do this."

"Not a clue. But Bonnie also told me Ketsia is alive again, and to be wary of her." Jeremy tells this to both of them, and instantly they decide it's better to tell him about their meeting with Ketsia. Keeping things from him has never turned out particularly well in the past, and with this new information it's safer for him to know, that to remain in the dark. Elena then begins to explain to Jeremy about her meeting at the funeral, and subsequent conversation with Ketsia at the Grill. Jeremy listens to the entire story quietly, nodding his head from time to time. Before he has a chance to reply, someone enters the room.

"I'm sorry to barge in, but Bonnie should never have contacted you." There stands Ketsia. She is definite in her words and before anyone has time to process them, she has disappeared. Almost immediately, Jeremy falls to the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

**Please keep reviewing and tell me if you have any ideas about where the story should go! All suggestions welcome. **

"JEREMY!" Elena screams as she rushes to his side where he lays completely motionless. He's still breathing, but short, labored breaths. She already lost him once; she refuses to let it happen again. And after Bonnie gave her life to revive him, to let him die is such a waste of two beautiful lives. "Why would she do this!?" Elena screams at Stefan, but he doesn't have any answers. He's as confused as she, and once again he's left hopeless without anyway to help besides holding her. Again, he has to watch as she breaks down and cries in front of Jeremy's unmoving body.

"We'll find her. And when we do, we will kill her." Stefan tries to comfort Elena with these words. Though they come out strong and confident, truthfully he has no idea how to make it a reality. She had said she meant no harm, and if wanted to hurt Jeremy, why wait until now? And without telling them why, nothing's adding up.

From the other side, Bonnie screams at Jeremy. She tries to get him to wake up and move around, but Ketsia is restricting his movement, and he is growing weaker by the second. Bonnie and Ketsia are having a grueling battle of strength, and even though Ketsia is stronger, Bonnie has more will. She has the greatest will of all, because it is her friends at stake. The love of her life depends on how she reacts to Ketsia's threats. She put him in this danger by contacting him, but she wouldn't let it kill him.

While Bonnie has Ketsia's attention she screams at her "Why did you do this!? What do you want from me!?"

"He makes you weak Bonnie. A mere mortal and you gave up your life for him, that wasn't the plan. It was never supposed to be that way."

Ketsia says this calmly, but Bonnie is not fazed by this sudden show of emotion.

"You are wrong, It _had _to be this way. Jeremy needs to be alive, and in order for that to happen I needed to die." She cries these words out, and even though they are in the heat of battle, the words are true. As much as she wants to be on that earth with Jeremy, she knows they cannot survive together, and if one lives, the other must die. That is the cruel fate of nature.

And that's when it hits her. Ketsia had said she wanted to continue the Bennet bloodline, but she hadn't mentioned how. She was planning on bringing Bonnie back to life. But the only way to do that, was for Jeremy to die. She didn't want Bonnie to contact Jeremy, because she didn't want her to get too attached. It was simply a precautionary measure. Only, then why wait until now to kill Jeremy. And why is he still alive?


	7. Chapter 7

**Let me know what you think as well as any suggestions you have for where the story should go! Thanks for all the reviews!**

Elena sits by Jeremy's side at the hospital; he is full of machines that are pumping life into him. It's doubtful the ring will work since he is a revived twice vampire hunter, and who knows what effect vampire blood could have after what Ketsia did to him. They will wait until the situation becomes dire, and then they will resort to injecting him with a nearby and ready syringe of her blood.

School is out and there is nothing for Elena to do but wait by his bedside, hoping he will wake up. Stefan is in and out of the hospital, and although Elena loves him, she is grateful for the alone time with Jeremy. All through the days with Jeremy, she thinks of the times they've had together, and fantasizes about her revenge on Ketsia.

After almost a month of Jeremy being in a coma, Elena is reading an old book when she looks up to see Ketsia standing in the doorway. Immediately, she tries to sprint up and kill Ketsia, but before Elena can take two steps, a throbbing pain stops in her head forces her to collapse.

"Just listen, you'll understand soon enough." Ketsia speaks sternly but calmly as Elena rises to her feet.

"I could never understand murder in cold blood." Elena spits back at Ketsia, but she doesn't seem phased by Elena's harsh response.

"And yet, you forgave so many others for their indiscretions. Your boyfriend slaughtered hundreds in the name of his thirst, and his brother did the same just for fun." Ketsia pronounces this with a grin, because she knows although Elena has accepted their past, she often tries to ignore it.

"I don't need to explain myself to you." When Ketsia hurt her brother, it became personal.

"I'm not the only one who has tried to kill Jeremy. Damon snapped your brothers neck as well you know." These words stab into Elena as she thinks of that time so long ago. It's true, Damon _had_ tried to kill Jeremy, and the only thing that saved him was the ring. But now is not the time to revisit the past; the fate of her future is standing right in front of her.

"If you've only come here for my forgiveness, you might as well leave." Elena has finally composed herself, and it's time to find out what is going on.

"No, I do not require your forgiveness. However, I believe it is in your best interest to listen carefully to what I have to say."  
"Go on then." Elena has grown impatient of this woman's games. But she may be the only way to save Jeremy, and so she has no choice but to give Ketsia her full attention.

"I do not wish you any harm. I have watched you since you were born, and Jeremy is an important part of your life. I know what it is like to love someone, and Jeremy is not someone for whom I wish any pain. I also know Bonnie loves him, and I want her to have the chance to be with the one she loves. Nevertheless he must die for Bonnie to live, and I need Bonnie to live." Elena is getting a sickening feeling in the pit of stomach, and it feels as though her heart is dropping like lead into her gut.

"He doesn't deserve to die!" Elena screams out of frustration at Ketsia, feeling as though her pure will could save Jeremy's life.

"And I agree. But neither does Bonnie." These words make Elena think of the two people that have always been there for her. And now only one can live? Nothing about this is fair. No one deserves to die. Silent tears begin streaming down her face as she thinks of all the people she has lost.

"But don't give up yet, I am here to show you there is another way. It is true Jeremy has to die, but that doesn't mean he has to leave this earth forever." Ketsia's words don't make sense to Elena, how can he be dead and alive? That's when she realizes that she is dead and alive, so is Stefan, so is Damon, and countless others. Jeremy needs to become a vampire.

Ketsia nods as Elena understands what she plans to do. "Yes. Give him your blood. Do it now for soon the spell will be broken and he will be gone for good." Elena hesitates for a moment before rushing over to the syringe and stabbing it in his wrist. Even before all the blood has entered into his system, Ketsia disappears. Elena is left waiting for Jeremy to awake, pondering the events that had just transpired.

Two hours later Jeremy jerks from his sleep, bloodthirsty and confused.


	8. Chapter 8

**I really hope you all like this next chapter. Please review and let me know if you have any ideas about the story! **

"What… What is going on?" Jeremy is scared and his brain is muddled. The last thing he can remember is talking to Bonnie. But what on earth were they talking about?

"It's okay, just relax. It's all going to be okay." Elena tries to comfort him; she understands what it's like to go through the change. Especially when you don't want to.

"But what happened?" Jeremy is desperate for answers, anything to help him understand his current state. Even though he's not sure exactly what state he's in.

"Ketsia. She put a spell on you after you finished talking to Bonnie. And –"

"Wait! Ketsia? What is she doing here?" Jeremy is astounded to hear of Ketsia. Why was _she_ here?!

"You don't remember?" Elena is beginning to be concerned about the effects this may have had on his brain. "What's the last thing you do remember?"

"Talking to Bonnie, but about what I have no idea."

"You were talking to her about Ketsia." Elena waits for any sign of recognition in Jeremy, but none comes. "Ketsia is back to continue the Bennet bloodline. But in order to do that, you had to…" She doesn't know how to continue. How do you tell someone they are dead?

"I had to what?" Jeremy is impatient to understand the situation. Elena still hasn't responded, "What? What is it?"

"You had to die!" Elena is crying now, she knows it's him she should comfort, but she can't hold the tears back.

How can this be? Jeremy is dumbfounded by the words that have left Elena's mouth.  
"But I am still –" And then the realization hits him. He is dead. But will remain on earth for eternity.

"No.. No. What? WHY?" Jeremy is angry and sad. After all they've been through, why does he have to become a vampire? He can't understand why this is always happening to him. But then the curiosity disappears and all that remains is thirst. Complete and utter thirst that takes over his whole body. He can see the blood pumping through the veins of a nurse that walks by, and all he wants to do is grab her and indulge his desire.

Elena sees the craving slowly overwhelm Jeremy, and she runs up and grabs him before he can leave his seat. "Don't do it, you can resist the urge." With those words he is snapped back into reality.  
"I will. But I need blood. I can't believe this is happening to me, but I _need_ blood."

"Stefan is out getting you some, but for now you just need to relax." She gently pushes him back toward the bed, so he is lying down. "Just breathe, it's all going to be ok." She tries to reassure him, but his worry remains constant.

"How is this ever going to be okay?!" His anger is rising, and it is only fueled by his confusion. "How did this even happen?" Jeremy's anger is burning out, and now all that is left is curiosity.

"Ketsia is Bonnie's ancestor, and when Bonnie died she ended the bloodline. Ketsia was the one who created the other side, and she made a loophole that guaranteed her continuation. The loophole was that when the bloodline ended, Ketsia would come back to life to continue it, but she's not completely alive. So she is planning to bring Bonnie back to life, and in order to do that, you had to die. It was the only way." As Elena finishes debriefing Jeremy on the current events, she looks for any sign of emotion within him. He is slowly coming to terms with his situation, but the only thing that has processed within Jeremy is the thought that Bonnie may come back to earth.

"So is Bonnie alive?" Right now, the only thing that matters to Jeremy is the chance that Bonnie could return to life. He feels responsible for her death because she died saving him, and more than that, he loves her.

"I don't think so, but she may be soon." And just as she finishes her sentence, Stefan walks through the door blood bags in hand.

"I'm back." He walks over to the bed where Jeremy is lying down, and says, "Once you drink the blood, there is no going back." With that, he sets down the bags next to him and steps back. Elena is concerned; she hadn't thought he might not want to take the blood.

"You're going to take it right?" She asks Jeremy with anxiety. He hesitates for a few moments while he ponders his future as a vampire. He never wanted this for himself, but he has no choice. He can't leave Elena again. Whether Jeremy wants to or not, he will drink the blood. "Yes." He grabs the bag and hesitantly begins to suck in the blood. At first it tastes gross and it disgusts him to feel it go down his throat. But then the disgust is replaced by strength, power, and satisfaction. His hunger is being fulfilled, and from that he feels joy. "mmmm" he sighs as he drains the first bag and reaches for the second.

"Slow down Jer." She's worried that he won't be able to handle the thirst, he needs to learn control, and soon. He's already uncapped the second one before Elena can take it from him "Just, wait a minute. You need to learn how to control your thirst." Jeremy lies back and waits, all the while the thirst growing in his chest. He's seen what the change can do to people, and he doesn't want it to happen to him. After ten minutes of staring at the blood, he can't take it anymore. "Ok, how's that? Can I have the blood back now?" Elena is hesitant to give it back to him, but she finally concedes. "Yes, but just – take your time." He snatches the blood and begins to chug it down. "Jer!" She takes it back from him, and he is angry.

"What the hell? You said I could have it!"

"Yea but I said take your time! I don't want this to destroy you. I wont let it."

"Well I have plenty of time thanks to you! I have a thousand life times to wait! I have an eternity of time! So I guess you're right, I'll take as much time as I want, cause I have plenty of it." Jeremy is screaming at them now, and he quickly jumps out of bed eager to be away from her, even though he's not exactly sure why. He is surprised at his new strength and dashes out of the hospital with unfathomable speed.

Elena doesn't know how to react; she is shocked by this display of anger from him. She turns to Stefan for comfort as he says, "There's a lot of emotions going through his head, just let him be for a little while. Remember, everything's heightened for him right now." He gently places his hand on the small of her back and pulls her into a hug. "It's all going to be okay, I promise." He whispers to her, as she desperately clutches to him for support. "I love you Stefan." She whispers back to him lovingly. "What would I do without you?"

"We'll never have to find out." He tightens his group around her, and she can feel his muscles ripple against her back. She feels so safe in his arms, as if the world outside simply doesn't exist.

Jeremy is wandering outside, and he sees a girl walking by. The blood is pumping through her veins, and the empty blood bag reminds him of his thirst. He walks away, but as he turns the other way another man is walking by. Probably after a long day of work, innocent, but the blood is rich with power and strength. Then he blacks out. The next thing he remembers is looking up from the lifeless body into the face of someone he once thought was lost forever.

"Bonnie?" Blood dripping down his face, he stares into the face of the one he loves.


End file.
